Consumer Attitudes & Behavior

Everyone wants to know how Walmart can compete with Amazon in e-commerce when the latter doesn't really make money at it. According to Ad Age, "The more Walmart does to differentiate itself from Amazon and offer a better value proposition, the more it will succeed," she said. "The more it focuses on price and value, the more it can compete." But it's a very long game. [Ad Age]

Dishonest employees and shoplifters pushed shrink rates to record levels and earned the United States the distinction of leading the world in the least desirable of retail metrics.

According to retailers surveyed for the Global Retail Theft Barometer, shrink rose in the U.S. from 1.28% of sales in 2013-2014 to 1.97% during 2014-2015. Globally, this compares to 1.42% , a figure also up from the previous .94% average of all common retailers surveyed the previous year.

Stein Mart reported negative same-store sales growth on the same day that the company also lost its chief merchant to an off-price rival.

For the third quarter ended Oct. 31, Stein Mart comps fell 2.3%.

"Unseasonably warm weather impacted traffic and our sales during the third quarter," said Jay Stein, CEO. "We continue to have a positive outlook on our important fourth quarter holiday sales which will include incremental sales from six new stores opened through the third quarter plus four more new stores opening in November."

Holiday shoppers have high expectations of their online customer experience this year.

According to the new JDA 2015 Consumer Survey of more than 1,000 U.S. consumers, 50% 0f respondents indicate that they will be unforgiving of retailers who provide less than satisfactory online home delivery experiences.

Tuesday’s election continued a trend we have witnessed over the past few years — Republicans dominated statewide contests while Democrats locked down Mayoral seats in key major metropolitan markets.

One year ago, Republicans won by historic margins at the state level, installing 31 Republican governors and winning control of 67 of the 98 state legislative chambers. On Tuesday, Republicans not only defended those advances, but added to that margin by winning decisively in Kentucky.

Store performance disappointed almost across the board during October, and circumstances beyond retailers’ control may have had a lot to do with it.

Apps currently dominate the mobile payment space, but that may not be a permanent situation.

According to a new infographic from mobile engagement provider Mobiquity Inc., the industry is on its way to a ‘no-app’ payment landscape. Mobiquity predicts that operating systems, rather than applications, will define the future of mobile payments.

The infographic lists several data points suggesting consumers and retailers do not find mobile payment convenient. These include:

Chief marketing officers at leading U.S. retailers are forecasting a 4.2% increase in overall holiday store sales, according to the 10th annual BDO USA survey.

This year’s BDO projection is only slightly higher than the National Retail Federation’s expected 3.7% increase to $630.5 billion, slower than the 4.1% increase during last year's November-December period.